File No..
Mr. W.S. Carter /6
Mr. Stacpoole
Mr.
Permt. U.S. of S.
Mr.
Sir
DRAFT
Parly. U.S. of S.
Minister of State
Secretary of State
A1,96
Your Reference
Page 81' of 344
81
th
Date June, 1965.
John Rankin, Esq., M.P.
House of Commons.
I regret that there was no opportunity in the
Commonwealth and Colonial Affairs Debate on 1st
June to deal with the points you made about Hong
Kong.
2*
On the question of constitutional advance the
ground has been covered in recent months in your
exchange of letters with Eirene White and myself.
had
شا
There is nothing I can add to this correspondence
use by
2
on this paint juor
at the present time.
In your remarks
1
3.
人
on taxation
present.
You appeared to imply that unearned income is not
taxed in Hong Kong. I would point out that, apart
from Salaries Tax (or income tax as we know it),
taxes are also levied on property, profits and
interest
(i.e. unearned income) at the standard
FURTHER ACTION
Page 81
(E6098) W1 42332-8537 50m 1/64 V.B. Gp 791
rate.
4.
I am glad that you were able to mention the
Health and Educational policies of the Hong Kong
Government and the measures shortly to be introduced
regulating the
Now that
for the regulation of recruitment of seamen. In the
educational field the need to provide primary
school places for all children of primary age has
taken precedence over all other interests.
this goal is in sight it will be possible (and it is the Hong Kong Government's intention)to make greater
progress towards the provision of free primary education, in the development of Regendaryf education.
and
/I
Page dbf gnderstand your preference for public
education, but it has been necessary in Hong Kong
(and will continue to be necessary) to rely greatly
on private schools to meet the quite exceptional
needs of the fast-growing population.
5.
Incidentally, I see that you are reported
as saying that the birth rate in Hong Kong is
29 per cent and the death rate 4 per cent; the
figures are, of course, 29 per mille and 4.9 per
mille respectively.